Project narrative
Context and challenge
Rigid collateral requirements lock smallholder farmers and agricultural SMEs out of formal credit across Africa. Well-functioning collateral registries, such as those pioneered by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and the National Bank of Ethiopia, allow movable assets to secure lending, expanding access to agricultural and SME finance.
Strategy and approach
AFRACA convened its Central Bank members for a Roundtable Workshop and Exchange Programme on Collateral Registries in Harare (9–13 March 2026), hosted by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe with support from AGRA. Drawing on the workshop's evidence and peer exchange, AFRACA developed and issued a policy brief on strengthening collateral registry systems as a mechanism for expanding access to agricultural and SME finance, disseminated to member institutions across the continent.
